Spring device



Oct. 22, 1940. G, A, WOODMAN 2,219,001

' SPRING DEVICE Filed March 16, 1939 j 2 Z1 55' 5g 21 1m i .1 JZ II 4 |I /0 f $1 24 f6 30 f] j 5 5 54 5 29 g T 14 f8 INVENTOR 6w, W M (i ATTORNEYS I Patented Oct. 22, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPRING DEVICE cago, Ill.

Application March 16,1339, Serial No. 262,244

9 Claims.

The invention relates generally to spring devices and more particularly to friction governed spring devices of the general type employed in railway car bolsters and draft gear.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide such a friction governed spring device of new, improved and simplified construction.

A further object is to provide such a friction governed spring device wherein the governing frictional contact is induced by a plurality of individual spring elements which are so mounted and related as to equalize the resilient force on the friction shoes in a novel and improved manner.

Another object is to provide such a friction governed spring device wherein leaf or bow springs used to produce the required reaction between the friction shoes are so mounted and related to the other parts of the device as to simplify the wearing parts as well as the repair and assembly of the device. v

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view of a friction governed spring device embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 1 and looking upwardly as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1.

In the form chosen for disclosure herein the invention is embodied in a friction governed spring device In, adapted particularly for use in a car bolter, and comprising an outer or main spring barrel -ll of the coil spring type having duplicate upper and lower end seats or plates l2 and i3 and an internal friction mechanism operable to retard the compression as well as the return or expansion movement of the spring H.

The spring barrel I l is preferably formed from a bar of square cross section with the ends of the coiled bar tapered to provide flat ends for engagement with the spring seats l2 and I3. The spring H is formed to provide a cylindrical inner surface l4 for cooperation with the friction mechanism of the device. The end plates l2 and I3, as above mentioned, are of similar form and are so constructed as to aid in positioning the elements of the friction mechanism.

This friction mechanism as herein shown has three duplicate sets of cooperating friction elements, each set comprising upper and lower outer friction shoes l6 and I1, and an inner friction shoe l8. When three sets of friction elements are employed, the end plates l2 and [3 are formed with three equally spaced sector-like openings l9 therein as shown in dotted outline in Fig. 2, so that the outer friction shoes l6 may extend through the upper end plate I2 and the outer friction shoes I1 through the lower end plate 13. Thus the arcuate outer faces 20 .of the shoes l6 and H are positioned within the spring H in opposed relation to the cylindrical inner 10 surface l4 of the spring H. The shoes l6 and Ji l are maintained in the desired lateral relation to each other by engagement of their side edges with the openings I9 in the end plates, while sector-like end flanges 2| on the outer ends of the shoes I6 and I! rest loosely in a circular recess 22 formed in the end plates so as to limit lnwise inward displacement of the shoes [6 and I1 relative to the end plates.

The outer friction shoes l6 and H are of substantially the same length and are so proportioned that their adjacent ends are normally separated, as shown in Fig. 1, when the spring I I is in its normal or extended relation. The amount of this separation is preferably sufllcient 25 to allow complete compression of the spring ll. As a result of this proportioning the space between the ends of the upper and lower shoes l6 and I1 is located midway between the ends of the spring II, and the associated inner friction shoe I8 of each set is so disposed as to span this space and bear on the inner surfaces of the upper and lower shoes. The operative frictional area or surface of the inner and outer shoes is relatively great as will be evident in Figs. 1 and 3. Thus the outer shoes 16 and I! have inner friction faces 24 of arcuate horizontal cross section, while each inner shoe l8 has a complemental outer arcuate friction face 25.

The friction faces 24 and 25 are preferably arranged so that when the spring II is compressed there is a wedging action tending to cause greater frictional contact between the friction faces 20 of the outer shoes and the spring II, and between the engaged friction faces of the inner 5 and outer shoes. This end is attained in the present instance by tapering the friction surfaces 24 of the outer shoes outwardly toward the adjacent ends of the shoes I6 and I1, and by correspondingly tapering the friction face 25 ilrgwardly towards the opposite ends of the shoe Means is provided to normally support the inner friction shoes l8 in a median vertical position so as to insure uniformity of coaction beinstance this means comprises a limited lost motion connection between each inner shoe I8 and its associated upper shoe I 6. This lost motion connection is preferably formed by a lug 28 formed centrally of the lower edge of each upper shoe I6 and projecting inwardly into a ver-- tlcal slot 29 formed in the outer face 25 of the shoe I8.

The friction shoes I6, I1 and I8 are urged into operative frictional contact with each other and with the spring II by yielding means housed within the spring II, and in accordance with the present invention this means is so constructed and mounted as to simplify manufacture of the several friction shoes, and in addition, this means is such as to be separate from the wearing parts of the device. Thus each set of friction shoes has its own tensioning spring 30 which is preferably of the leaf or bow spring type, and these separate springs 30 are so mounted and related as to equaliz the action of the several sets of friction shoes. To this end a single mounting member 3| in the form of an elongated spindle is provided, and the springs 30 are initially tensioned in their mounting on the member 30. Thus the spindle 3| is of generally triangular cross section throughout the major portion of its length while at each end it has a disk-like end or head 32. The heads 32, therefore, form abutment flanges or shoulders at each end of each of the three fiat sides 33 of the spindle. The springs 30 may be initially tensioned by placing each spring with its ends in abutting relation to the shoulders on side face 33, or if desired, may be relatively loose in their mounting and dependent upon the wedging action to provide tension as required. Hence the springs 3|] bow outwardly from the faces 33, and by proper proportioning of the lengths of the spindle and the springs, the springs 30 are made to exert the desired initial outward pressure on the inner faces 34 of the inner shoes l8.

As shown in Fig. 3, means is provided to insure proper rotative positioning of the spring assembly with relation to the friction shoes, and this end is preferably attained through the provision of inwardly extending side ribs or flanges 35 along opposite sides of each of the inner shoes I8. Means is also provided to insure proper longitudinal positioning of the spring assembly, and in the present instance this end is attained by sloping the inner face 34 of each shoe I8 toward the midpoint of the shoe, as shown in Fig. 1. Thus the curved outer surface of the associated spring 30 cooperates with sloping surface 34 to maintain the spring assembly in the desired position wherein it applies its outward yielding force on the midpoint of each shoe I8.

In accordance with usual practice, central or axial bores 35' and 36 may be provided in the end plates I2 and I3, and the spindle 3| so as to permit the use of a loosely fitted central tie rod or bolt when required.

In the use of the present shock absorber the compressive forces are applied to the end plates I2 and I3 and the exposed faces of the flanges 2| of the outer friction shoes, so that compression of the spring causes a corresponding approaching movement of the shoes I6 and I1. Such movement of the shoes I6 and I1 is resisted by the frictional engagement of the outer shoes with the internal surface I4 of the spring barrel, as well as by the frictional engagement of the outer shoes with the inner shoe l3.

As the compression of the spring increases this frictional resistance becomes greater due to the tapered arrangement of the engaged friction faces of the inner and outer shoes and the resulting compression of the tensioning springs 30. This frictional engagement of the several friction surfaces acts to dampen and control both the compression and expansion of the spring What is claimed is:

1. In a spring device of the character described,- a spring barrel, end plates positioned on opposite ends of said spring barrel, a plurality of circumferentially spaced sets of friction shoes, each set comprising a pair of outer shoes each engag n the inner surface of the spring barrel adjacent opposite ends thereof and an inner shoe engag ing the inner surfaces of both of said outer shoes, and means urging all of said inner shoes radially outwardly against said outer 'shoes.

2. In a friction controlled spring. device of the character described, a spring barrel, end plates positioned on opposite ends of said spring barrel, a plurality of sets of friction shoes, each set comprising a pair of outer shoes engaging the inner surface of said spring barrel adjacent opposite ends thereof and an inner shoe engaging the inner faces of both of the outer shoes of the set, said inner and outer shoes having a wedging engagement with each other tending to retard endwise approaching movement of the outer shoes, means operable to locate the inner shoe of its set in a median relation to the outer shoes of its set, spring means operable to urge said inner shoes outwardly into contact with said outer shoes, and means on said inner shoes operable to position said spring means both rotatively and longitudinally with respect to said spring barrel.

3. A spring device of the character described comprising in combination, a spring barrel, end plates positioned on opposite ends of said spring barrel, a plurality of sets of friction shoes, each set comprising a pair of outer shoes engaging the inner surface of the spring barrel adjacent to opposite ends thereof and an inner shoe engaging the inner surfaces of both the outer shoes of the set, said inner and outer shoes being formed on their engaging surfaces to develop a wedging action as the spring barrel is compressed to resist such compression, and a spring assembly for urging said inner shoes radially outwardly comprising a plurality of how springs and a central mounting spindle upon which said springs are mounted so as to bow outwardly therefrom to engage the central inner surfaces of said inner shoes.

4. A spring buffer of the character described comprising in combination, a spring barrel, end plates on opposite ends thereof, a plurality of sets of friction shoes, said sets each comprising an outer shoe engaging the inner surface of the spring barrel and an inner shoe engaging the inner surface of the outer shoe, said shoes of each set having a wedging relationship tending to resist relative endwise movement thereof during compression of said spring barrel, and means urging said inner shoes radially outwardly comprising a spring assembly having a plurality of bow springs and a central mounting member upon which said springs are carried so as to bow outwardly therefrom into engagement with the central inner surface of said inner shoes.

5. A spring device of the character described comprising in combination, a spring barrel, end plates positioned on opposite ends of said spring barrel, a plurality of sets of friction shoes, each set, said inner and outer shoes being formed on tion as the spring barrel is compressed to resist such compression, and a spring assembly for urging said inner shoes radially outwardly comprising a plurality of bow springs and a central mounting spindle upon which said springs are mounted so as to bow outwardly therefrom to engage the central inner surfaces of said inner shoes, said mounting spindle having shoulders engaging the ends of said bow springs to maintain said how springs under compression.

6. A spring buffer of the character described comprising in combination, a spring barrel, end plates on opposite ends thereof, a plurality of sets of friction shoes, said sets each comprising an outer shoe positioned rotatively and longitudinally by one of said end plates and engaging the inner surface of the spring barrel and an inner shoe positioned rotatively by its outer shoe and engaging the inner surface of said outer shoe, said shoes of each set having a wedging relationship tending to resist relative endwise movement thereof during compression of said spring barrel, and means urging said inner shoes radially outwardly positioned and. supported by said inner shoes.

'7. A spring device of the comprising in combination,

character described a spring barrel, end

plates positioned on opposite ends of said spring barrel, a plurality of sets of friction shoes, each set comprising a pair of outer shoes engaging the inner surface of the spring barrel adjacent to opposite ends thereof and an inner shoe engaging.

the inner surfaces of both the outer shoes of the a spring assembly for urging their engaging surfaces to develop a wedging action as the spring barrel is compressed to resist such compression and tending to center said inner shoes longitudinal of said spring barrel, and said inner shoes radially outwardly comprising a plurality of bow springs and a central mounting spindle having end flanges between which the ends of are tensioned said springs so as to bow outwardly therefrom to engage the central inner surfaces of said inner shoes, said inner shoes having said central inner surfaces formed to interlock with the bowed central portions of said bow springs to support said spring assembly.

8. In a spring device of the character described, a spring barrel, a plurality of sets of friction shoes extending within the spring barrel, each set comprising a pair of opposed outer shoes spaced from each other longitudinally of the axis of the spring barrel and an inner shoe engaging the inner surfaces of both of said outer shoes, and means urging all of said inner shoes radially outwardly against said outer shoes to cause the latter to have constant yielding frictional engagement with the inner surface of the spring barrel.

9. In a spring device of the character described, a spring barrel, a plurality of sets of friction shoes within the spring barrel, each set comprising a pair of opposed outer shoes extending longitudinally of the axis of the spring barrel and an inner shoe engaging the inner surface of both of the outer shoes of each set, and means urging all of said inner shoes radially outwardly against said outer shoes to cause the outer surfaces of each of the latter to have constant yielding frictional engagement with the inner surface of the spring barrel.

MARSHALL WOODMAN TUF'IS,

Executor of the Estate of George A. Woodman,

Deceased. 

